At any age, staying healthy is essential, especially for seniors. According to studies, being active is significant to promote emotional, mental, and physical health.
But as we age, it is common to notice some changes in the activity. It is because health conditions and chronic pain can make a senior less active. It encourages older adults to adapt physical exercise routines to make their lifestyle active again.
Get outside
If you notice your senior parent is becoming inactive, you should encourage him or her to go outside. Take her for a walk in the neighborhood.
Staying out for a few minutes, you can take pleasure in the fresh air and do some physical activity. Allowing them to stay in the park with other seniors can keep them active.
Encourage senior living options.
Staying in a senior living community has a significant impact on seniors. But some residents are having fun while staying in the facility, especially if it offers a healthy, connected, and active lifestyle.
Even away from loved ones, residents may also enjoy activities tailored by the senior living facility.
There are retirement senior living communities offering group exercises classes, trips to neighboring towns, and events inside the facility. When encouraging your aging parents for senior living options, you should bring her/him on a tour of the facility. Do some online research and call the facility to learn more about available activities, services, and other amenities. Go out through their website and find a long term care page here and be sure to read through it. This will help you understand how the facility can help your aging parents with their long-term care needs. Ultimately, you should go over all of the available options and find a suitable plan for your elderly family member’s lifestyle and needs.
Find a senior exercise program in the area.
Another way to keep a senior active is by joining a senior exercise program. Ask your aging parent to visit a park where seniors spend their time.
Some senior centers create a senior exercise program. Encouraging a senior to attend and participate in the activity is an excellent start to make him/her physically active again and foster friendship.
Please choose the appropriate activities for your aging parents according to their physical abilities. Starting a low-level physical activity is an excellent idea to encourage a senior to get active.
Even simple walking offers many benefits. You can introduce other activities, but make sure it would be comfortable with an aging person.
Other activities you can introduce include yoga, water aerobics, or dancing. It is vital to ensure that the senior has fun doing the activity. Always consider their interest when choosing an activity.
Teach your loved one how to video call
With the advent of technology, even seniors enjoy using cell phones. To help your aging parent stay active, teach him/her to chat or video call with family and friends in real-time.
It is an ideal way to spare boredom. Allowing the seniors to use gadgets will make them occupied rather than doing nothing at home alone.
Aside from using devices, introduce other activities or hobbies, such as audiobooks, puzzles, radio shows, etc.
Get them a furry friend.
If your aging loved one loves an animal companion, the best thing to do is give him/her a pet to care for. Having a furry friend gives seniors a sense of purpose.
You can get a furry friend from the local animal shelters. Taking care of a pet would make your parent active and occupied most of the time.
Likewise, having a furry friend helps to improve the mood, thus reducing the risk of developing dementia. But if your aging parent is residing in a facility, look for assisted living centers that accept pets. This way, your parent can bring his/her furry friend to the facility.
Keep them social
Seniors most of the time spend their time at home doing nothing. It will make them bored and weak.
To keep them active physically and mentally, allow them to socialize with family members, friends, and neighbors. Help to set up an activity or social events, and invite them at home. Going out and seeing friends is another way to keep aging parents socializing.
Have Some Fun
As you want your senior parents to stay active, you should also ensure that he/she will have fun.
The first thing to do is to look for activities to adapt to. Identify the person’s interest so that you can introduce the appropriate activity.
You can hit the internet and look for a group with the same interest as your aging parents. Joining a gardening club, birdwatching club, book club, or veterans club can be fun. Regardless of the interest, the vital thing to note is that the senior will enjoy and stay active.
Final thoughts
Lack of mental and physical activity can affect the physical aspects and behavior. With this, it is essential to encourage your aging parents to stay active, despite their declining strength and stamina.
Staying active can also help improve symptoms of any health condition.
The physical abilities of adults may slow down while getting older, but it should not be the reason to become inactive. Through the help of the family, seniors can become active again. It can be possible by accompanying aging parents by walking or doing simple activities.
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